SOME members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have filed behind the stance of Kaduna State governor that some persons within the government and the seat of power are working against the electoral victory of the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the forthcoming presidential poll.
The APC members under the aegis of Concerned APC stakeholders condemned the lackadaisical attitude of the party leadership, state governors and government appointees, including ministers to Tinubu’s campaign in terms of funding.
According to the stakeholders, these top party members and party officials have abandoned Tinubu in their bid to frustrate the APC presidential candidate, even as they have introduced unpopular and anti-people policies just to pitch the people against the governing party and its candidates.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja on the weekend, convener of the Concerned APC Stakeholders, Rev Dominic Alancha, however said all efforts of the saboteurs will fail as Tinubu will coast home to victory.
“We want to use this opportunity to align with some of our leaders who had spoken of certain sabotage of this administration, of this President and of this party,” he noted.
Alancha stated that even when the president directly ordered some cabinet members, including his chief of staff, to accommodate young party members on a visit led by their leader, Barr. Ismaeel Ahmed, in 2021, they have done nothing, eliciting the anger of party faithful, especially the younger members of the party.
The APC stakeholders also accused the APC National Working Committee (NWC) of not giving the much- needed leadership direction required to galvanise party members to work for the success of the party at the forthcoming elections.
Decrying the lack lacklustre attitude of the NWC to the party’s presidential campaign, Alancha said, “This is the first time in the history of political campaign a ruling party failed in her responsibility to mobilized members and critical stakeholders of the party to raise campaign funds for the party neither has it called for a NEC meeting to look into the wellbeing of the party and the campaign.”
On the naira policy that has inflicted untold hardship on the people, the party stakeholders said it has, along other policies, plunged the country into a serious mess, sparking pockets of protest across the country.
They noted that though the currency redesign may be necessary, the implementation of the policy was ill-timed, counter-productive, distractive, grossly anti-masses and inimical to the electoral success of the ruling party.
Alancha stated: “The Naira redesign policy is a good policy that is long overdue. But the timing is absolutely horrible and we condemn it. We condemn it because the timing is short and very restrictive.
“It has plunged the country into a serious mess like we are witnessing with some pockets of protest across the country due to inability of citizens to access the newly redesigned naira note, grounding the economy to a complete halt. We fear if this continues it will lead to a complete and total breakdown of law and order.”
The stakeholders called on President Muhammadu Buhari to quickly intervene to rescue the party and its electoral fortunes in the forthcoming elections.
Alancha continued: “Let me make it clear from the onset that we believe this election is ours to lose. And we will not lose it. We will win, our winning is sacrosanct, God’s willing, But before every victory comes a great test. The Last few weeks have been a great test for us as a party.
“We are calling on Mr President to show and demonstrate commitment and loyalty to the party that made him by joining the party in the remaining campaign rallies, direct Ministers, political appointees to go back to their wards within the next one week and holds meetings in their electoral wards with a view to canvassing for votes for our great party under whose platform they are serving the country.
“Direct the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to extend the withdrawal of the old Naira note by six month as a legal tender to ease the suffering this anti people policy has inflicted on Nigerians.
“Lunch an investigation to know how much of the newly redesigned naira note the Central Bank of Nigeria has printed and how much it has released to the banks for onward circulation. Ensure there is sufficient newly redesigned naira note in circulation to avoid a breakdown of law and order in the country as seen in the pockets of protest across the Nation.”
